Music staff stencil cutting implement



y 9 7-- I P. A. CHAMBERS I 2,088,161

MUSIC STAFF STENCIL CUTTING IMPLEMENT,

Filed Sept.'l1, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Aiiorpeys y 1937- I P. A. CHAMBERS 2,088,161

MUSIC STAFF STENCIL CUTTING IMPLEMENT Filed Sept. 11, 1936 2 sheets-sh et 2 V Inventor v aa/ (Zak/56m v B I? 1g 7 Attorneys Patented July 27, 1937 UNITED STATES t e r,

MUSIC STAFF STENCHL CUTTING IMPLE- MENT 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a novel and improved hand manipulated and manually controlled stylus constituting what may be conveniently and briefly described as a full music stafi" stencil cutting implement, that is, a tool provided with properly coordinated and grouped cutting means for simultaneously cutting stencils to be used in preparing manuscript paper including two or more staves.

The device is primarily, but not necessarily, adapted for use in the school room, Where it may be conveniently employed by the teacher or appointed pupils in preparing manuscript paper for writing musical notations differentiat ed by the treble and base clefts or harmony for two or more treble instruments.

In reducing the principles of the inventive idea to actual practice, I have evolved and produced a simple and inexpensive reversible implement which may be successfully and handily used for cutting stencils wherein the spaces between the lines of the staff may be either onesixteenth of an inch apart or one-eighth of an inch apart, depending on the legibility and size of the musical notation desired.

Other features and advantages may become apparent from the following description and drawings.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the improved implement and demonstrating how it may be used, for cutting a stencil.

Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1, observing the head of the device in a direction from left to right.

Fig. 3 is what may be called an elevational view looking at one end of the cutter head.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view which may be said to be taken, on an enlarged scale, on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse or cross sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the manuscript sheet illustrating how the double staff will appear when the work is completed by the pupil or teacher, as the case may be.

The novel tool or implement comprises a onepiece or unitary device characterized by a somewhat rectangular or block-like head of appropriate dimensions and proportions to give the requisite weight and cutting pressure. On the bottom edge 8, the head is provided with two distinguishable groups of cutting teeth 9 used for stencil work wherein the space between the staif lines is approximately one-eighth of an inch.

The outermost cutting teeth of the respective groups are clearly in View and are located at the extreme opposite ends Hl of the head. Moreover, the groups are spaced apart the requisite distance to score the distinguishable staves. The teeth 9 project well below the lower edge of the head so as to give the desired clearance as the instrument is drawn transversely across the sheet ll somewhat in the manner shown in Fig. 1. On the upper edge 12 I provide two sets of smaller scoring or cutting teeth differentiated by the numerals I3, and these are arranged in proper spaced order to simultaneously score upper and lower staves wherein the lines are spaced to define spaces approximately one-sixteenth of an inch in dimension.

The operating handle denoted by the numeral M is of appropriate longitudinally elongated.

shape for convenient holding and manipulation. It will be observed that the inner end I5 is attached centrally to the head to secure pro-per balance and that the upper and lower surfaces of the handle are spaced equi-distant from the cutting edges of the respective teeth 9 and E3 to permit the tool to be used as shown in Fig. 2 or inverted to bring the teeth l3 into play. Thus the handle is in suitable position to avoid causing the hand to strike the stencil irrespective of which set of teeth is in use at the time.

The teeth are properly beveled and sharpened to provide suitable cutting edges and it is therefore an easy matter to expeditiously cut stencils to be used in laying 01f manuscript sheets for class work.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

What is claimed as new is:-

A music staff stencil cutting tool of the class described comprising a one-piece unit including a horizontally elongated substantially rectangular head of general block-like form, an operating handle joined to one face of said head, the point of connection being centrally with respect to the opposite transverse ends of the head, and equi-distant in relation to the longitudinal marginal edges of the head, said head having its opposite ends of rounded configuration, being formed on one longitudinal edge with distinguishable groups of equally spaced scoring teeth projecting beyond said longitudinal edge, and said head being further provided on the remaining longitudinal edge with distinguishable groups of scoring teeth equally spaced apart, there being five teeth in each of the aforementioned groups, and all of said teeth having segmental cutting edges to provide rounded crown portions and. adjacent rounded corner portions.

PAUL A. CHAMBERS. 

